Connecting the Lonely Profession
After going through four years of a collegiate education, many of my education professors stated that teaching is a lonely profession, the same sentiment echoed througout this article. Yet, after attending Hicksville Middle School and Hicksville High School I saw teachers who were willing to collaborate, willing to be social outside the classroom, willing to be there for each other and share ideas. It was one of the reasons why I decided to go into teaching. I believe the people who stated teaching is a lonely profession are the ones that did not decide to be outgoing or they shunned the help of others. The Internet has made it easier to collaborate with people across the world and that is important because we can develop new innovative ideas that aren't promoted in our own region. BUT one drawback is I think the Internet is still allowing for a lonely profession because instead of being outgoing with your fellow teachers at your school you are searching for a haven (online) to find out ideas from teachers who you may never meet. Today's teacher needs to be involved in their own school district, willing to help out any teacher and not be afraid to ask for advice. Vicki Davis and other Flat Classroom Projects are amazing but I still feel like collaboration within your own school is more important than collaboration with teachers across the world. Teaching is not a lonely profession. It is only a lonely profession if that teacher decides to be that way.
#besocial
I agree with you, I think the internet can still make people lonely. People that make the internet their only resort to socialize and to learn from are still isolating themselves. Technology should only be used as a stepping stool to collaborate with others and to educate one-self. Similarly, in the classroom if technology is used only used for students to look up information, it is the same as the teacher lecturing that information. Teachers should use these 21st century skills to engage students in higher-order thinking. One way to do this is by implementing global projects into a unit. This will allow students to connect students with their community and with their world. This will help them to grow conceptually, multi-dimensionally, and of course professionally.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Teachers need to be social in order to not feel lonely. It's their own fault.
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